This Is Us Season 3 Plans to Delve Into Beth and Toby's Pasts

Following Jon Huertas’ recent revelation that a Miguel-centric episode is in the works, the NBC drama’s executive producers said Wednesday that Season 3 also will examine Beth and Toby’s pre-Pearson years.

“We’re going to be going into [Toby’s] backstory,” co-showrunner Elizabeth Berger said at the Television Critics Association summer press tour. “We’re going to be going into Beth’s backstory for the first time, which we’re really excited about.”

These developments will come in what Berger and co-showrunner Isaac Aptaker deemed “a hopeful season” — which premieres on Tuesday, Sept. 25 (9/8c) — “and a season about true new beginnings for everybody.”

That hope, however, might be a bit elusive for Toby, at least for a while, Berger said.

After learning about the circumstances of Kate’s husband’s depression “within the first half of the season,” Berger said, “We’re going to be seeing Toby go through various challenges.”

But don’t expect the newlyweds’ old issues to vanish suddenly, either. “Obviously, we showed last season their journey to have a family,” she added. “That’s a journey that we’re going to be continuing this year, and there’s going to be the stresses of your first year of marriage.”